Russia’s expansion of its nuclear-powered icebreaker fleet is being delayed. The ‘Chukotka’, the next icebreaker in the Project 22220 class, is not due to enter service at the end of 2026 as planned, but not until 2027.
The ‘Chukotka’ is being built at the Baltic Shipyard in St Petersburg. As recently as the end of 2025, the state-owned United Shipbuilding Corporation had announced delivery for December 2026. The deadline has since been pushed back to next year. No reasons for the delay have been given as yet.
The icebreakers of Project 22220 form the backbone of Russia’s strategy to utilise the Northern Sea Route for as much of the year as possible. With a propulsion output of around 60 megawatts, they can break through ice up to approximately three metres thick. Thanks to their variable draught, they can be deployed both in the Arctic Ocean and in the shallower coastal waters of Siberia.
Four vessels of this class are already in service: ‘Arktika’, ‘Sibir’, ‘Ural’ and ‘Yakutia’. The fleet is set to expand further with the ‘Chukotka’. This will be followed by the ‘Leningrad’ and ‘Stalingrad’, which are already under construction and are scheduled to enter service in 2028 and 2030 respectively.
The delay comes at a time when Russia is seeking to further expand its capabilities along the Northern Sea Route. Nuclear-powered icebreakers are particularly important for Arctic raw materials projects and for escorting LNG and oil tankers. In the spring of 2026, eight Russian nuclear-powered icebreakers were at times operating simultaneously in the western part of the Russian Arctic.
At the same time, costs are rising. Additional sources of funding are being sought for the ‘Leningrad’ and ‘Stalingrad’. The costs are now estimated at around 85 billion roubles per icebreaker. Among other things, discussions are underway regarding additional charges on cargo transported via the Northern Sea Route or through Russian seaports.
The delay with the ‘Chukotka’ shows that, despite high levels of investment, the further expansion of the Russian Arctic fleet continues to face financial and technical challenges.
Heiner Kubny, PolarJournal